ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ball — a dance
  7. row — a line
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — a match
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. game — wild animals
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ground — a position
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pit — a hole
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com